Dussek - Allegro in Eb major Op 19 No 6

Grade 6 ABRSM 2019 - 2020 Syllabus

The audio extract is by CPE Bach and is the start of the first movement of his cello concerto in A major.  Although written earlier than Dussek's Allegro, it represents a good example of the brightness and lightness of musical timbres of the day.  The Classical Orchestra was renowned for its lightness of musical tone, compared to the modern day equivalent orchestra.

Similarly, Classical period pianos were much smaller in tone yet also possessed a silvery lightness of tone in the bass, which meant that the Alberti bass lines of the music bristled along with an exciting energy which cannot be recreated in quite the same way on a modern instrument with its much heavier and less clear bass tone. 

In performing this piece aim to create a sense of buoyancy and brightness in both tempo and timbre.